Hat holder



Sept. 17, 1929. p NA E 1,728,249

HAT HOLDER Filed March 13. 1928 INVENTOR j gger ATTORkES Patented Sept.17, 1929 UNITED STATES PETER J. NAGLE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK HAT HOLDERApplication filed March 13, 1928. Serial No. 261,363.

This invention relates to holding devices or supports and moreparticularly to the variety adapted to hold and support hats, aapers orother objects in places such as automobiles or other passenger vehicles,or public places, one object being to provide an effective device ofthis character of a simple and inexpensive form which is easy to installand use. Another object is the provision of a device of this characteroccupying a minimum amount of space and adapted for efiectively holdingone or more hats or other objects without injury thereto. A furtherobject is the provision of an effective hat holding device in 1 which asingle yielding element is so shaped and attached to a supporting meansas to provide a plurality of independently acting holding means. Still afurther object is the provision of a device of this character which canbe conveniently folded into a relatively small space for packingpurposes. Still a further object is theprovision of a device of thischaracter which is neat and sightlyin appearance. light in weight, yetstrong and durable and comprising relatively few parts not likely to getout of order.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvementsand combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device embodying the present inventionshowing the device in position on a supporting surface such as in sidethe top of an automobile:

Fig. 2 is an end view of the device;

3 is a detail view of the supporting 4 bracket illustrating the meansfor assembling the holder thereon;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 41-4 of Fig. 3; a

5 is a sectionon line 55 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of thearrows, and

Fig. 6 is a view of the device showing the holder folded so as to allowfor convenient packing.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate thesame parts,

The present embodiment of the invention provides a light, strong andcompact device of the class described, capable of being produced atmoderate cost, being particularly advantageous for use in automobilesfor se-' curely holding thehats of the occupants without injury thereto.To this end the invention as disclosed is embodied in a supporting abracket having ready means for attachment to a convenient surface suchas the inside of the top of an automobile body and having an efitefitivehat holding means associated there- W1 Referring more particularly tothe drawings, there is shown at 10 the usual cross piece in the top of asedan automobile having attached thereto'a bracket or hearing member 12with the hat holding member 13 thereon.

The hat holding member may be secured to a supporting surface in anysuitable manner, but in the present instance, the securing means isshown in the form of a bracket or bearing member 12 suitably formed froma plate with a downwardly bent rim as shown in Fig. 4. The bracket 12 isprovided with oppositely extended wing portions 1 1, 14 and 15, 15provided with openings 16 for the accommodation of ordinary wood screws17.

Thehat holdingmember in the present embodiment is constructed from alength of spring wire 18, or other yieldable material. WVhile it iswithin the scope of the present invention to form the wire 18 in one ormore relatively independent hat holding sections, in the present form ofthe device the wire is formed in two loops resembling a figure 8. Thewire 18 is secured in such a way upon its supporting surface that atorsional'stress is produced adjacent the point of attachment tending tocause the outer portions of the loops to bear againstthe supportingsurface.

The means forsecuring the hat holding member 18 to the bracket orbearing member may assume various forms. such, for example, as weldingor any other attaching method which will secure a portion of the holdingmember either non-rotatably or for only a limited amount of rotation onthe bracket. In the present embodiment 'of'the invention, this purposeis accomplished by forming a pairof outwardly extending cars 19, whichare preferably struck from the material of the bracket and are bent awayfrom the surface thereof to provide apertures 20. Apertures 21 areformed in each ear l9 and are of sufficient size in the pres ent form ofthe invention to allow for the passage of three strands of the wire 18therethrough as shown in Fig. 6. The ends of the wire after passingthrough the aperture 21 are bent outwardly and laterally at 22 so as topass through aperture 20 and engage the under surface of the bracket 12.(See Fig. The end portions of the wire 18 are thus held non-rotatably orfor, at most, only a limited amount of rotation relatively to thebracket.

The portion of each loop engaged in apertures 21 on the bracket can beconsidered as extending generally transversely to the direction ofextension of the outwardly extending portions of the loops so that inelfect it is somewhat similar to a spring hinge for the outwardlyextending portions which holds them yieldingly against the surface onwhich the holder is mounted.

In normal unstressed position the loops are disposed to extendsubstantially clownwardly below the plane of the bracket as indicated inFig. 6. In this condition the device/can be readily placed in a fiatshipping carton substantially the size of a single loop. The relation ofthe downwardly bent ends 22 to the plane of their respective loops issuch that when the loop is moved to a position approximately parallel tothe sur-' face of the bracket, as shown in Fig. 2, the,

bent ends 22 engage against the side of the aperture '20 and prevent thefree rotation of the.-wire, thus a torsional stress will be setup in theportions of the wire 18 adjacent the bracket which tends to yieldinglyhold the outer portions of the loops against the surface on which thedevice is attached.

The assembly of the hat holder upon the bracketmay be effected invarious ways. The preferred manner of assembly is to pass a piece ofwire of the proper length through the aperture 21 until the bracket isapproximately at the'mid-section of the wire, a loop is then formed'ineach portion and the ends are, inserted into apertures 21 from oppositedirections' The ends are next bent as shown at 22 so as to engage withinapertures 20 while the looped portions are held more or less adjacenteach other substantially below the top face of bracket 12. It will beunderstood that the object of holding the loops substantially togetherwhile the ends are bent to engage in apertures 20 is to insure thestressed condition in the wire near its ends when the loops are extendedas described above.

Assuming that it is desired to install the device in the top of a sedanautomobile, the

loops are grasped and pulled outwardly to bring them to lie inapproximately the same plane and the bracket 12 isforced against thecross piece 10. The bracket is held in this position while the woodscrews 17 are inserted in place to hold the bracket permanently to thecross piece. The torsional stress existing in the wire 18 adjacent theends thereof when the holder is in this position serves to yieldinglyhold the free ends of the loops against the cross piece 10 so that ahat, the crown of which has been placed in the loop, will be held upwith the brim positioned against the usual fabric covering 23 whichconceals the cross piece. The bracket 12 can be attached lengthwise ofthe cross piece 10 by utilizing the screw openings in the wings 14 or itmay be secured at right angles to this position by securing the screwsthrough the openings in the wings 15.

The invention thus provides an extremely simple, convenient and readilyattachable device for effectively holding one or more hats on anydesired surface. The device. further has the advantages of lightness andcompactness so that while not interfering with the movement of personswithin the automobile in which it is attached it will at all times beaccessible for immediate use.

' I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a bearingadapted to be applied to a supporting surface of a length of springwire, curled into a loop, a portion of which is engaged and held by thebearing, theloop having its ends passed oppositely through said bearingand locked against rota tion therein except torsionally to yieldinglyhold the loop against the surface and supply spring tension to the loop.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a bearingelement, of a length of spring wire curled into a figure 8 forming adouble loop, the ends of the wire and its intermediate portion beingheld in the bearing and the said ends being locked against rotationtherein except torsionally go yieldingly hold the loops against thesurace.

'3. Ina device of the class described, a bracket and supporting meansthereon, com prising a pair of opposed members yieldingly secured tosaid bracket at adjacent portions thereof so that in their inoperativeposition they will lie with their free portions substan tially adjacenteach other to permit the device to be inserted in a carton substantiallythe size of one of said members, and when in their operative position inwhich, the members and bracket are positioned to lie approximately in aplane on a surface the free end portionsof said members will yieldinglyengage such surface.

4. The combination in a hat holder adapted for cooperation with asupporting surface,

of a bracket secured to said surface, a yielding member connected withthe bracket and having an outwardly extended portion in contact withsaid surface, another portion of said member being extended in adirection generally transverse to the direction of extension of saidfirst mentioned portion and non-rotatably secured at one point on saidbracket, the relation of said outwardly extended portion to the portionsecured to said bracket being such that a torsional stress is set up insaid transversely extending portion adjacent its point of attachmentwhereby the outwardly extended portion is caused to yieldingly bearagainst said surface.

PETER J. NAGLE.

